recording fees; unlawful restrictions; exemption

SB1506 - recording fees; unlawful restrictions; exemption

Children Housing

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Brian Fernandez
Last action: 2026-02-02
Official status: Senate second read
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

SB1506: Changes to County Recorder Fees and Exemptions

This bill sets a $30 fee for most recorded documents, lowers fees for government agencies, and removes recording fees for fixing illegal housing restrictions.

What This Bill Does

Sets a $30 fee per instrument for recording legal papers unless another amount is listed in the law.
Charges $15 per instrument when federal or state governments request recording of their documents.
Reduces copy and certification fees by half for any state agency using them for official work.
Removes all fees for county offices, agencies, or departments that pay with public money.
Eliminates fees for recording liens related to court-ordered restitution or child support enforcement.
Waives fees when a document is recorded to remove an unlawful restriction from a housing agreement.

Who It Names or Affects

County recorders who collect and manage these fees
People filing documents with the county recorder's office
State agencies requesting copies or certifications of records
Homeowners in condominiums or planned communities removing illegal housing restrictions

Terms To Know

Governing instrument: A legal document that sets rules for a condominium or planned community.
Unlawful restriction: A rule in a housing document that limits who can buy, use, or live on property based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, or disability.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not state when these new rules will officially begin.
Fee exemptions for county offices apply only when fees would otherwise be paid from public monies.

Bill History

2026-02-02 Senate
Senate second read
2026-01-29 Senate
Senate Rules: None
2026-01-29 Senate
Senate Government: None
2026-01-29 Senate
Senate first read

Official Summary Text

SB1506 - recording fees; unlawful restrictions; exemption

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB1506 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
recording fees; unlawful restrictions; exemption

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SB 1506

Introduced by

Senator
Fernandez

AN
ACT

amending section 11-475, arizona revised
statutes; relating to the county recorder.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 11-475, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
11-475.

Fees; exemptions

A. The county recorder shall receive the following
fees:

1. For recording papers required or authorized by
law to be recorded, if the fee is not otherwise specified in this section, $30
per instrument.

2. For recording papers to which the United States,
this state or a political subdivision of this state, including cities, towns
and irrigation, drainage and electrical districts, is a party, when recorded at
the request of the United States, this state or the political subdivision, $15
per instrument.

3. For preparing and certifying copies of a record
in the recorder's office, $1 for each page or partial page
. In
addition
, and
for attaching the recorder's
certificate and seal,
an additional
$3.

4. For issuing a certificate pursuant to section 47-9523,
$10 for each name, plus $1 for each financing statement or statement of
assignment reported therein.

B. The fees provided in subsection A, paragraphs 1
and 2 of this section include the amount charged pursuant to section 11-475.01.

C. Notwithstanding subsection A, paragraph 3 of this
section, the recorder shall prepare and furnish copies and certifications at
one-half of the established fee when requested by any state agency for
official purposes.

D. The county recorder shall not receive a fee for
performing the duties prescribed by this section for an office, agency or
department of the county where the document is to be recorded. This
exemption shall apply only when the fees would otherwise be paid from public
monies.

E. Notwithstanding any other law, the county
recorder shall not receive a fee for performing the duties prescribed by this
section or any act necessary to record or release a restitution lien filed
pursuant to section 13-806 or any lien necessary to enforce a support
order.

F. NOtwithstanding any other law, the
county recorder shall not receive a fee for performing the duties prescribed by
this section or any act necessary to record an amendment to a governing
instrument that removes an unlawful restriction.� For the purposes of this
subsection:

1. "Amendment" means a
document that removes an unlawful restriction.

2. "Governing
instrument" means a declaration of a condominium as prescribed by title
33, chapter 9 or of a planned community as prescribed by title 33, chapter 16.

3. "Unlawful
restriction" means a prohibition, restriction, covenant or condition in a
document that interferes with or restricts the transfer, use or occupancy of
real property on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex,
familial status or disability in violation of state or federal law.

END_STATUTE